Seven Lies
by Sam deLittle
Summary: A group of seven Gwevin ficlets with a lie in each story. KxG Genres include dark, angsty, fluffy, humorous, and more! Something for every Gwevin fan!
1. I Hate You

Hey everyone! So here's the first story. I'm prefacing this story to tell you that this story is actually continued in the seventh story. So when you get to the end, it'll start where this story left off. :) Enjoy!

* * *

It was lonely.

That was the one thing she would definitely concede to.

"If there's anything worse than a woman living alone," her housekeeper had once told her, "it's a woman saying she likes it."

No one really knew why, at the age of thirty-eight, Gwen was still unmarried and currently single. Sure, she went out from time to time, but when you're thirty-eight and dating, you're looking for something more: commitment.

And that was something Gwen couldn't give.

"I'm worried about you," Ben would tell her. Of course Ben was worried about her. She was thirty-eight, unmarried, and living in a large luxurious apartment all by herself. Compared to her cousin, an all-around family man, Gwen was close to a recluse. "I wish you'd try dating a guy for more than three weeks."

"I just don't want to be tied down," Gwen would tell him. "I'm so busy with work."

"You've been busy with work for fourteen years," Ben would say sadly. She knew what he was talking about. They never spoke of it explicitly, but she knew. "Can't you be busy with your own life for once?"

She didn't need his concern. She was fine with the way things were. Well, maybe not fine. But fine enough. Yes, Gwen was always "fine enough".

She hadn't always been though.

* * *

"Get away from me."

"No."

"Leave me alone."

"No again."

"**I hate you**," she had said through racked sobs. How had this happened? It had started with periodic research trips to the Null Void. When she had located the one and only Kevin Levin, human crime lord of the Null Void, she hadn't expected him to be so docile. Sure, he was sarcastic rude – everything Gwen had expected…except that he wasn't violent.

"I've got no business killing you," he'd told her. "I guess my anger wore off with my mutation."

"Liar. You're still mad."

"Yeah," he'd admitted darkly. "I'm still mad." He paused. "But not at you."

She'd come back, not telling anyone about her meetings with Kevin, and the two talked, relating to each other more than Gwen had thought possible. Kevin knew a lot about how things ran in the other dimension. And Gwen knew a lot about earth. They shared stories, information, and after awhile, soft touches and sweet smiles.

And after even longer, they began to share more: stolen kisses, fingers through hair, lusty whispers in each other's ears. Gwen didn't want to admit she was in love – especially with him. Him of all people.

He'd complain of wanting to get out – to be with her all the time. And she had, after awhile, agreed.

A secret rescue operation later, and she and Kevin were together back on Earth. They made love in celebration, screaming out their ecstasy not only in the moment of their passionate love-making, but with the knowledge that they had the rest of their lives to spend together. They were free.

But their relationship had to be kept a secret, and Gwen made an effort to make sure that Ben was never even mentioned, let alone seen.

Because Kevin was still mad.

Nearly a year later, Gwen was pregnant and took a "special overseas project" to get away from everyone. Kevin and she went to Italy and rented an apartment with a balcony. She loved that balcony; Kevin would come to her in the evening and slip his arms around her waist (which got harder as the months got by – but he did it anyway). And then they'd watch the sunset.

"We have to tell him," she'd said as the two held their new baby boy – Devlin – in their arms. "Ben'll find out sooner or later. And I'm tired of pushing him out of my life."

He'd agreed, albeit reluctantly. And when they went back to America, and Gwen had shown up at the door with her new baby and his father, Ben had been surprised to say the least.

"He's different now!"

"How long were you planning on keeping all this a secret?! Didn't you trust me?!"

"It wasn't you – it was—"

"I don't care what you were – or weren't – thinking!" Ben had shouted in his cousin's face. "I don't want to _see_ him ever again!" he pointed savagely at Kevin, and Kevin sneered.

"The feeling's mutual Tennyson!" Kevin barked. "You think I want to look at your sorry face?"

"I've got ten thousand aliens that are ready to kick your sorry ass if you so much as _think_ about hurting my cousin!"

"I've picked up a few new tricks in the Null Void too, Benji," Kevin remarked, clenching his fist. "So I'd think twice before you assume you're dealing with the same Kevin Eleven!"

"Just stop it you two!" Gwen insisted, putting herself between the two. "Ben, you're wrong about Kevin! He's not going to hurt me – or anyone else anymore…he's different."

Ben frowned at his cousin's significant other. "I'm watching you, Kev."

"Like I'd expect anything else, Benji," Kevin scoffed, grabbing Gwen's hand. "C'mon Gwen…"

Gwen looked after Ben, her eyes pleading with him. She didn't want her lover and her cousin to be at odds with each other anymore. There was no point. The conflict between the two was long over and done with. They didn't have to be enemies anymore. After all, Kevin wasn't against Ben anymore. Kevin could be trusted.

Or at least, she thought he could.

It wasn't another month until Kevin had gotten mixed up with a group of Alien big businessmen and was running scams for them behind Gwen's back. She'd stay up late, sometimes well past two A.M., waiting for him to get back from "the job" he had been telling her all about. Funny, she couldn't think of any Null Void research job that required its employees to stay into the early morning.

Gwen wasn't stupid. It only took her a few more days to figure out the truth – the money Kevin had been bringing back was from some dangerous alien criminals, and Kevin was one of them.

It had all happened too fast – a screaming fight, Kevin running out on her, his alien friends paying her a house call, Kevin kidnapping Devlin as Ben and she fought off the alien criminals.

Ben hadn't even offered her one "I told you so". It was too cruel. He had just held his cousin as she had fallen to the ground, dissolving into sobs, as the man she loved and her son fled from her life. A couple of weeks later, Ben had tracked down the alien criminals, including Kevin, and thrown them all back into the Null Void. There was no sign of Devlin. And after all that Kevin had done to her, Gwen couldn't shed one tear for the man she had once called her love. Why should she after what he had done to her?

She had been betrayed – used.

So why had he come back?

"Let me go!" Gwen insisted, trying to muster up magic in her hands. But it wasn't working – she couldn't focus her energy. She tried to pull away from Kevin, but it was no use.

"No!" Kevin finally shouted, and pulled Gwen close to him, kissing her roughly. Gwen's eyes widened, and she pulled away, cursing herself for enjoying the kiss ever so slightly. She couldn't help it – he kissed the same as he did all those years ago. "Gwen…"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Gwen asked. "I thought…I thought Ben and Kenny trapped you in the Null Void again—"

"I had to get out. I had to see you," he said, keeping her tightly against him.

"Why?" Gwen asked. "Y-You're nothing but a liar!"

"Gwen…"


	2. I Love You

She didn't mind it so much. After all, four years had really changed Cash. He wasn't an immature jerk anymore. He was far more mature and smarter than Gwen had given him credit for. He, Ben, and JT had become pretty good friends at the beginning of college, and wherever Ben went, Gwen was sure to follow. It wasn't long before Gwen realized that Cash had a definite interest in her.

But he never made a move.

He couldn't.

You don't make a move on Kevin Levin's girl.

Sure, Kevin, boasting his rather unimpressive third grade education, had not been exactly eligible for University. But that didn't mean he wasn't around. He had found himself an apartment in the area and he and Gwen had continued to flirt around each other just as much as when they were teens. Sure, they weren't in a serious relationship, but Kevin had his eye on her. That was all that mattered. She was marked.

But when she had gotten tired of their little innocent slow dance, and asked him to move a little closer, he had walked away all together. Maybe Kevin was scared that moving forward would ruin what they had. Or maybe he was just afraid to love anyone. Gwen didn't question it – there was nothing to question. No amount of pleading on her part would change his mind. And she wasn't about to beg. No, she had her pride.

So much pride, in fact, that she had asked Cash out the very next night.

Kevin had been angry, of course, but when he confronted her about it, she was ready with her response:

"_Oh, so you care now," _she'd told him that wintry cold night as he stood outside her dorm, waiting for her as it snowed. _"Sorry. Too late."_

And she had left him there, on the stairs.

The months passed, and she and Cash became closer. He was fun to be around, a good guy overall. But whenever they kissed, Gwen couldn't help but think back to the man she had left on the frozen stairs. Whenever Cash held her hand, she thought of Kevin's warm embrace, how safe she had felt within his arms. She couldn't deny it.

Cash was a fill-in.

"I love you," he'd told her very abruptly as they sat in his car, driving back from a movie. The car was a respectable sedan with a good MPG but Gwen missed the overly expensive muscle car with leather upholstery that she would run her hand over when idle.

But that's all she had left of Kevin – memories. How he kissed her, how he held her, how his car felt, moved, sounded, and smelt of him. Kevin hadn't been willing to give her anymore than that.

She had looked straight ahead when she responded to Cash.

"**I love you **too."


	3. I'm Happy

"Happy birthday."

"Oh thanks Kevin! Baby, I hope this wasn't too expensive."

"Not at all – got it through a friend of mine for a pretty sweet deal."

"…what…is this?"

"A Giga-Watt 5000 Hard Drive Energy Blaster! Vintage 1965. Well…actually 50,240 on Planet Erzetx. One of the best energy rifles on the market! Ain't she a beaut?"

"…a gun?"

"What? You don't like it?"

"Oh! N-No, I love it! **I'm happy**."

"You hate it."

"A little."

"Then look inside the barrel. You might a present you like more."

"Is this…what I think it is?"

"Only if you want it to be."

"You have to say it."

"What?"

"Get down on your knees and ask me to marry you."

"I put a diamond engagement ring in the barrel of a gun – that's not enough for you?"

"Hey. Whose birthday is it?"


	4. I'll Never Forgive You

"**I'll never forgive you**."

"C'mon Gwen! I was just having a little fun!" Kevin complained, throwing his free hand up in the air while his other gripped the steering wheel. The two were driving back from dropping off Ben and Julie on their first date which Kevin had successfully gotten started off on the wrong foot. Gwen was more than angry at him – she was _livid_. "He'll get over it. He always does."

"You should stop picking on Ben!" Gwen snapped, her arms crossed angrily in front of her. "He's a hell of a lot more mature than you!"

"Please! He doesn't even have a license—"

"Oh, you think cause you drive the big macho car and have the big macho apartment you're mature?!" Gwen asked incredulously. "No, you're just an overgrown child!"

"Whatever," Kevin muttered. "I don't have to take this."

"And at least when Ben likes someone, he asks her out!" Gwen reminded him. "He's got some guts!"

"I have plenty of guts," Kevin retaliated. "You're just mad cause I won't ask you out!"

"I'm just mad because you won't ask me out when I know you like me!"

"Who said I liked you?!" Kevin finally snapped. "Maybe I can't stand you! Do you really think you're so hot that I couldn't _possibly_ _not_ be in love with you?!"

There was a pause, and Kevin focused his attention back on the road. He glanced over at Gwen, and was horrified to see she was looking at her lap.

"Gwen—"

"I'm sorry," she said, folding her hands. She spoke quickly and tersely, as if she was afraid she would cry if she let out too many words at once. "I'll leave you alone."

No! That definitely was _not_ what Kevin wanted. Dammit, why was he such an idiot? Why had he said that? "No, that's not what I meant," Kevin blurted out, running his hand through his hair nervously. "…I…I just…You're right. Ben's a lot more mature than I am."

Gwen looked up, surprised at this admittance, and Kevin didn't meet her face, afraid that his cherry red cheeks might be betrayed. "But I'm working on it. I promise." Gwen smiled and sat back in her seat.

"Okay."

"Okay what?"

She shot him a killer smile. "Maybe I forgive you."


	5. I Feel Fine

"Nah, it's cool with me."

"Awesome," Gwen smiled, pulling Kevin towards the ticket booth. The two of them were on a date, and Gwen had really wanted to see the new horror film. It was supposed to send even grown men running and crying – and although not many knew it, Gwen had a thing for horror movies. "Two tickets for _Carnage House_ please," she told the cashier.

"Man, this thing looks pretty hardcore," Kevin laughed. "Want me to…hold your hand or something?"

"Sure," Gwen smiled flirtatiously as the two walked past the concession stand towards the ticket taker. "But not because I'll be scared."

"Oh please," Kevin laughed. "This movie is supposed to be insanely scary. You'll be holding my arm after a half an hour."

"I've gone to a lot of scary movies," Gwen countered. "We'll see who's holding who."

"Wait, are you saying _I'm_ going to be scared?" Kevin asked laughingly. "Please. I've been in the Null Void – this is going to nothing."

"Well then it's a challenge," Gwen smirked.

"A challenge it is," Kevin returned the smirk as the two walked towards the theater, both quite convinced of their victory already.

* * *

"_Aaaaahhh!! They're coming!"_

"_It's got me! Help me, help me! Oh my God! MY LEG!! MY LEEEGGGG!!"_

Kevin and Gwen watched as one of the main characters had his leg ripped off by the monster. They both wanted to cover their eyes, but neither of them dare moved from their seat, fearing they would "lose" the challenge. But, as much as they hated to admit it, they were both scared out of their minds.

'_Holy shit, this is hardcore,' _Kevin thought, his eyes wide. _'That thing is waaaaay scarier than Vilgax. And uglier too.'_

'_Oh my God…I think my heart stopped beating twenty minutes ago,'_ thought Gwen, clutching her armrests tightly.

The monster jumped out the leg-less character, now biting off his fingers one by one. Both Kevin and Gwen grimaced, Kevin's brow scrunching up, Gwen biting her lip. _"AAAAAHHHH!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!"_

"S-s-so you scared yet?" Kevin asked Gwen, trying not to stutter. "Cause I'm not! Man, this is lame!"

"I-I-I was just about to ask you the same thing!" Gwen countered. "Th-this is nothing! Are you scared?"

"No, I'm not scared, are you scared?"

"No, I'm not scared, are you scared?!"

"**I feel fine!**" they said to each other at the same time. They both looked at each other and blinked.

"I-It's kinda cold," Gwen observed.

"Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing," Kevin agreed and pulled up his armrest so the space between him and Gwen was free. "Why don't we hold each other? It'll be warmer."

"Great idea!" Gwen said, immediately grabbing Kevin around the waist and snuggling up to him. Kevin wrapped his arms around Gwen and put his chin on top of her head. If the movie hadn't been scaring the crap out of both of them, they would have thoroughly this moment.

* * *

"You were scared," Gwen said once the two had left the movie theater and were walking towards Kevin's car. Kevin sneered.

"_You_ were the scared one."

"Okay," Gwen admitted. "Maybe I was a _little_ scared. But so were you. I felt you jump when the blonde girl got her eye ripped out."

Kevin smiled at his date, "Okay, okay. I was a _little_ scared. Shall we call it a draw?"

"Sure," Gwen said, leaning up against Kevin and holding his hand. "After all, I got to hold you the entire time – I'd say that's victory enough for me."

"Hey, you don't need a scary movie to do that," Kevin joked. "Just ask, babe."

"Whatever," Gwen laughed, rolling her eyes.

"You know," Kevin said as the two reached his car. "I've got more scary movies back at my place we can watch…if two hours isn't enough for you."

Gwen smirked, opened the passenger door, and got inside. With a playful smile, Kevin opened his own door and stuck his head inside. "I'll take that as a 'yes'."


	6. I'm Not Feeling Well

Ben had gotten _just_ a little tired of the cat and mouse game his friend and cousin were playing with each other. They'd flirt and fight, dance around each other, never really getting to the point of anything. Ben knew his cousin liked Kevin, and that Kevin liked Gwen. So why were they beating around the bush? All the sexual tension was getting a mite annoying.

But Ben was never one to just sit back and take things. No, he was a mover and a shaker. When Ben Tennyson had a plan, he saw it through, no matter what.

And my goodness, _this_ was quite a brilliant plan.

"**I'm not feeling well**."

"Oh my God, Ben, what's wrong with you?!" Gwen asked, staring wide eyed at her cousin. Ben was standing in the doorframe wearing his pajamas and looking _extremely_ sick. He was pale and shivering, a blanket around his shoulders.

"Just a cold," he said through chattering teeth. He was trying not to smirk. This effect was easy enough to get after chilling some bath water with Big Chill's icy breath. A quick transformation into Swampfire would warm him up quite nicely. "I'll be fine…r-r-really."

"You look _awful_," Kevin said. "I mean, more than usual."

"You two go to the concert without me," he said, sucking up snot through his nose. Kevin and Gwen looked at each other, both turning slightly pink. "We already bought the tickets, right? Might as well go…"

"B-but…" Gwen began, but Kevin cut her off.

"I-I…I think it would be cool if we went together," he said, and Gwen turned to look at him, her eyes wide. Was Kevin actually asking her out? "Only if you want to—"

"I'd love to," Gwen said quickly, and Kevin smiled at her. "See you later Ben. Feel better."

"Yeah, and try not to get snot all over yourself," Kevin joked. "You look enough like a DNAlien without spewing that gross yellow stuff."

"Ha, ha, very funny," Ben sighed. "Have fun."

He watched the two of them walk off, and to his delight, he saw Kevin put a tentative arm around Gwen's shoulder, leading her towards the car. Ben smiled and shut the door just as his father, Carl walked in. "Ben – you look _awful_."

"Nothing to worry about," he said, walking up to the stairs. "I'm about to feel a lot better."

"Hey, weren't you supposed to go to that concert with Gwen and Kevin tonight?" Carl asked, and Ben smirked.

"Yeah, change of plans," he said knowingly. "Third wheel's taking a break tonight."


	7. I Never Lie

"I love you."

"You're lying," Gwendolyn let out a broken sob as she stood in Kevin's arms, trying to resist the urge to grab him around the waist and hold him tightly. "You're lying."

"**I never lie."**

"Liar."

"Okay," Kevin admitted, still hugging Gwen close to him. "I _am_ a liar. I'm a liar and thief and I'm no good. But I love you!"

"Let go of me, let go of me!"

"Not until you listen to me!" He barked, pulling back to look her in the eye. She controlled her sobs just long enough to listen to what he had to say. "I've done a lot of things I regret, but the one thing that I would give _everything_ to change is the day I left you."

"What good is it?" Gwen asked, wiping tears from her eyes. "Your words were never any good, Kevin."

"I didn't want to leave you like that," Kevin said desperately. "I-I-I didn't think things would get out of hand like they did! One day, I was just trading some tech with some old friends…the next thing I know—"

"You're back to being an inter-galactic crime lord," Gwen said sharply. "And there was no more room for me in your life."

"You're wrong!" Kevin barked loudly. "I _always_ wanted you with me! But you had…you had a future, a family, you had everything! If I took you with me, everything would have been _ruined_. You would never be able to go back to Ben and everyone else." Kevin looked at the ground, staring at his shoes. "But my God, Gwen. Every, single day of my life, I ached because you weren't there with me. So much so that when I looked at Devlin I resented him."

"He's our son," Gwen said, tears coming to her eyes once more, her voice cracking. "You made him do _awful_ things. You told me you loved him."

"I do love him!" Kevin insisted. "I love him more than anything! B-but…but I saw myself in him! Whenever he transformed, I saw the awful thing that ruined my _life_!"

"That wasn't his fault, that was yours, you son of a bi—" Gwen reached to slap Kevin, but he caught her hand and pulled her close to him, much to her dismay. She struggled, but it was no use.

"I want him back. And I want you back. I want everything I ever missed out on _back_. I want my life, Gwen…" Gwen's eyes widened as she heard a very unfamiliar sound – Kevin was crying. Tears were welling up in his eyes. "I want my life back Gwen. I want my parents to love me…I want to meet you and love you and be with you. I want Devlin to have a father he can rely on – someone he isn't scared of. I've screwed up Gwen…but I want it all back. If I could do it again, I would do _everything_ differently! _Everything!_"

Gwen was overcome with emotion. She and her lover held each other, sobbing into one another's hair, grasping at each other. It wasn't so much romantic as it was desperate. They were both so miserable without the other, and here they were, sobbing out their misery to each other, crying over lost time. Images flashed before their minds: Devlin taking his first steps, Gwen pregnant with a second or third child, Kevin and Ben working side by side to fight against rogue aliens, Devlin attending school and Gwen fussing over his outfit, Kevin putting his hand on her shoulder when the bus arrived, telling her very slowly to 'Let it go'.

But that was all gone. They had missed it.

"Well, I suppose I could give you another chance. After all, I will owe you a favor later."

The two jumped and turned abruptly to see a man with brown, slicked back hair and a hook nose looking at them. He was wearing a lab coat and had his hands in his pockets. His face wore a knowing smile. "How'd you get in here?" Gwen asked.

"Yeah, and who are you?" Kevin barked, embarrassed that he had been caught crying in front of a complete stranger.

"Oh yes, I forget, we haven't met yet," the man said, stroking his chin. "I'm afraid I can't tell you who I am – my name escaped me awhile ago."

"What are you—"

"I'm asking you," the man said, "do you want me to give you two another chance?"

"How the hell are you supposed to do that?" Kevin asked, sneering. "Get out of here before I—"

"I could go back and find some way to get you out of that nasty Null Void earlier," the man said, stroking his chin. "Yes, I believe Ben told me something about it later. Yes, if I got you out of there earlier…well things might not be so difficult for you. Then again," the man said, frowning. "I can't guarantee everything. Your future is still yours, Kevin."

"…What…what are you talking about?" Kevin asked. "You can…time travel?"

"Well, in a sense," the man said. "It's far too complicated to explain now. Look, I'll give it a try. Your current situation is pretty miserable, so I don't think things can get any worse. It's worth a shot."

"You can fix my life by going back in time?"

"I'm not going to make any promises," the man said. "And you won't even remember me saying any of this, considering, if I change the future, that timeline will take over, and none of this will ever have happened."

"B-but…"

"Well, of course _I'll _remember it," he said. "After all, I exist outside of time so—" the man took out a pocket watch and smiled down at it. "Yes, I think three years in the Null Void is enough time for you to learn your lesson. Toodle-loo!"

With that, the man disappeared without so much as a sound, leaving Kevin and Gwen alone, staring at the spot where he had just been.

* * *

A fourteen year old Kevin sat in the null void, flexing his now-human arm. He cursed to himself – ever since his amalgam had worn off, he had been a sitting duck amongst all of these super-powered alien freaks. He had been reduced to hiding out in caves, hoping nothing hungry would find him. It had been nearly a month since he had seen the light of the Null Void day.

But in his boredom, Kevin had been practicing to use his absorption powers in another way. After the disaster with Ben's omnitrix, Kevin had sworn off energy absorption. But by concentrating on matter, he had been able to coat himself with a thick shell of anything he touched. His skin had become synonymous with his cave walls more than once a day, and he had gotten pretty good at controlling his powers. Too bad even a super-powered human was useless against a horde of evil aliens.

"Man…I've gotta find a way out of here," he sighed, lying down on the cave floor.

As if to answer his call, a "BANG!" came from the back of the cave, sending Kevin reeling forward. Kevin felt a strong sucking motion coming from the back of the cave, and he turned around to see a tunnel had been opened in seemingly nothing. "Wh-what the--?!" Kevin shouted, but it was too late. His fingers slipped from the rocky ground of the cave, and the next thing he knew, he had been sucked up by the portal.

In a mere moment, Kevin felt his shoulder hit hard ground. He looked up and gasped to see tall buildings, a missed sight, around him. He realized he was in an alley-way…

"Back on Earth…" he whispered, looking around. He stood up and laughed, "YEAH! I'm BACK ON EARTH!"

Kevin continued to scream and cheer, people walking on the sidewalk turning to look at him with confused glances. "This is too awesome!" Kevin laughed. "I have no idea what happened, but I'm _outta there_ man!" Kevin spun on his heel and walked down the alley, whistling with every step. He turned the corner and stopped his whistling almost immediately as he saw a group of men wearing trench-coats and carrying what seemed to be laser guns out of a sci-fi movie. "Oh hey…sorry. Didn't know this alley was taken," Kevin spun on his heel to walk the other way, too happy at his escape to be bother by a bunch of gun-wielding sci-fi geeks. But he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, a firm grasp making him unable to move.

"You picked the wrong day to see us, kid," the man snarled, poking the barrel of his gun into Kevin's back. "Too bad, you seemed to be in a good mood."

"Oh hell, no!" Kevin shouted, reaching out to touch the brick building beside him. He immediately absorbed the red brick and spun around. With a quick super-powered punch, he crushed the laser gun of his assailant. All three gasped, the other two raising their weapons "I _just_ got out of the Null Void! I'm not getting offed the second I come back!"

"Null Void?" one asked, raising his eyebrow. He turned to the others, signaling for them to lower their weapons. "What do you know about the Null Void?"

"I've only been there for like…three years!" Kevin sneered. "What's it to you?"

"…you must have a pretty impressive record to get thrown in there," the man smirked. "A little criminal streak in you?"

"You could say that," Kevin frowned. "Now if you'll excuse me—"

"Wait," the man said to him. "How'd you like to make some money, kid?"

Kevin realized that he was flat broke after spending three years in the Null Void. His base had probably been ransacked by now, and even if the forty dollars that he had thought so large a sum at eleven was still there, it couldn't buy him anything he would need at fourteen. He could always pick pockets again, or maybe mug people now that he was older and stronger, but that was a messy business. He'd prefer to make his money at least _slightly_ legitimately. "What do you want me to do?"

"Be the middle man in a deal for us," the man said, smiling.

"What are you talking about?" his companion asked, walking forward and gesturing at Kevin. "We can't trust this kid!"

"He's a human," the man reasoned. "They'll trust him more than us. And they're more willing to make deals when there's a middle party that's on _everyone_'s side."

"Hey wait," Kevin interrupted the men. "Aren't you guys humans too? Cause you may not be all that pretty to stare at, but you look like humans to me."

"Well, looks can be deceiving," the man smiled craftily at Kevin. "Now, before I tell you anything else…are you in?" The man stuck out his hand, and Kevin was horribly reminded of his last handshake – he had shared it with Ben, asking the boy if he wanted to be Kevin's friend. He frowned at the out-stretched hand. How could he trust a stranger's handshake if he couldn't trust his own?

"This is just the beginning, kid," the man said. "If this works out, we'll use you again. Intergalatic middle-man – it pays well."

Kevin stared down the alley as an expensive mustang pulled up to the crosswalk. He frowned, realizing that he had basically been living like a street urchin for years. A little money, a real place to live, all of that was sounding nice to him. "Fine," he said. "But I don't shake hands."

"Suit yourself," the man shrugged. "What did you say your name was again?"

"Kevin Levin."

"Well Kevin," the man said, sliding his hands into his pockets smoothly. "Welcome to our world."

With that, the man led Kevin and his associates out of the alley, talking animatedly about the deal that Kevin would be brokering. Kevin listened with great intent, so much intent, in fact, that he didn't notice a man with dark brown hair and a hook nose walking out from the alley he had just exited.

"Well, my goodness," the man frowned. "That didn't exactly work out how I thought. I hope nothing dreadful will come of this," he shrugged. "Then again, I can't spend eternity fixing peoples' love lives. Oh wait," his lips contorted into a cheeky smile. "I can, can't I?"

And with that, he disappeared back into the alleyway, not a trace of his existence left to be seen.

* * *

So yeah, I love Paradox, so I whored him and his time traveling out to explain how the Ken 10 timeline AND the AF timeline can exist. XD (Of course Ken 10 has been declared not canon, but still...)

I hope you enjoyed all these! :3


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